Chesapeake High School football outlook

Rob Elliott has guided the Cougars to 15 wins in three years, the most during a three year span in the history of the school. The goal now is to do something the program has only achieved once and with the aid of a forfeit.

OFFENSE: The Cougars want to establish a balanced attack of run and pass. Tyler Davis returns from an ACL injury in Week 5 last season after gaining 400 yards on 56 carries. The hope is that with Davis medically cleared he will be able to complete a full season as the top ball carrier. Rashawn Shields, a second team All-County selection last season, returns at quarterback. Shields was 83 for 144 for 1522 yards, 14 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The top option for Shields is Trent Smith, who caught nine passes for 130 yards in nine games. Mike Davis and Zach Irvin will anchor the offensive line. Unfortunately, Irvin will miss at least a third of the season with a broken foot.

DEFENSE: Faced with the task of replacing five departed linebackers, Chesapeake will change from a 3-5 to a 4-3 formation. Michael Parkent and Quinlan Dwarshius will feature prominently in the defensive line. Tim Steele, Khiri Hebron and James Beatty are the top candidates as replacements for the departed linebackers. Parkent recorded six tackles and a sack in four games and Dwarshuis registered 34 tackles in seven games. The linebacking trio of Steele, Hebron and Beatty combined for 47 tackles, three sacks in a combined 15 games. The secondary will be a strength with Smith and Jason Sutton returning. The two combined for 15 tackles and an interception while playing behind a pair of cornerbacks who had a combined seven interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Elliott will hope for consistency this year from the kicking game after the inability to convert in key situations cost the team. Brandon Nunn, who converted four of nine extra point attempts last year, will compete with Joe Serroka, who arrives from the junior varsity, for the kicking duties. Parkent or Serroka will handle the punting.

OUTLOOK: Elliott has guided the Cougars to 15 wins in three years, the most during a three year span in the history of the school. The goal now is to do something the program has only achieved once and with the aid of a forfeit.

"On the field this school has never won seven football games in a season," Elliott said. "That's our first goal. We want seven wins for the first time in school history and if that gets us into the playoffs, then it does but if not then our goal has to increase from there."

The Cougars feel they are close to breaking through. They lost five games by a combined 19 points, two of which were in overtime and included a one-point loss to Severna Park, a three-point loss to Old Mill and a six-point defeat to Meade. Those results show Elliott and his team that they can compete with anyone in the county.

"I think last year taught our guys that most of the top teams in the county we can play with," Elliott said. "I think our confidence is growing and we are not a doormat anymore; we are not going to go in and get wiped up by the top-echelon teams in the county."